“This evidence challenges the idea that sleep problems in young people are because of technology.“

A more common reason is anxiety or “body clock mistiming“, which is similar to what happens when a person has jet lag.

“For the majority of the population, an hour of technology use before bed seems fine. But anything longer than two hours appears to be detrimental to sleep.“

However, the Australasian Sleep Association said it was still best for teenagers to avoid technology for at least an hour before bed.

“Sleep is a complex biological process and further research is needed to translate the findings of this research into a recommendation,“ said a spokesman, SadasivamSuresh, a paediatric sleep specialist.

“This research is valuable in adding information on actual sleep patterns in modern society. It is good science that helps us to understand sleep and health better.“